Smashed Brussels Sprouts (AIP, Paleo, Whole30)

Smashed Brussels sprouts might just be the ultimate upgrade to the already superior roasted Brussels sprout. It’s a well-known fact that a roasted Brussels sprout is better than a steamed or boiled sprout — it’s made a superfan out of many a Brussels sprout denier. But what if you take those humble sprouts, steam them until soft, smash them flat, then roast them in bacon fat until crisp?

Tossed with thick-cut bacon and topped with bright pink rounds of homemade pickled red onions, these smashed Brussels sprouts turn into a veggie side dish dream come true. They’re sweet little cabbage rounds with crispy, craggy, caramelized edges that taste almost wood-fired from the smoky bites of bacon. Best part: these smashed Brussels sprouts are made for your anti-inflammatory kitchen — AIP, Paleo and Whole30.

How this recipe fits AIP, Paleo and Whole30

So long as you can source compliant bacon, you can easily make these Smashed Brussels Sprouts fit AIP, Paleo and Whole30. Butcher Box makes a great bacon with celery powder as a natural nitrate, no sugar and best of all, no nightshade spices. I used their thick-cut bacon for this recipe. For Whole30, you’ll want to skip the pickled onions because they’re made with coconut sugar. But you don’t need to skip the onions entirely… Instead, roast the sliced onions alongside the Brussels sprouts.

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The red onions for this recipe are quick-pickled in the refrigerator, so you’ll want to make them ahead: at least an hour, but up to a few days. Honestly, this is one of those refrigerator staples that I make on repeat each week, so I always have a jar stashed in the back of the fridge. If this is your first time making them, you might be surprised at how often you reach for the leftovers. In a small saucepan, bring water and white wine vinegar up to a slight simmer. Add the coconut sugar and stir until it dissolves, then pour the brine over thin slices of red onion. Let it cool, then put the jar in the refrigerator. As the onions sit, they’ll turn bright pink and soften. 

Lay bacon strips on a parchment-lined sheet tray. Roast the bacon in the oven at 425° for 7 to 10 minutes (depending on the thickness). Eight strips of thick-cut bacon is plenty. If you use a standard-cut bacon, squeeze a few more strips on there to make sure you render enough fat to cook the sprouts in the next step.

Remove the bacon from the sheet pan and break it into crumbles or cut it into chunks. Just don’t drain the fat from the pan once the bacon is cooked – we’re going to use it in a minute to cook the Brussels sprouts.

While the bacon cooks, steam a pound of Brussels sprouts. Trim the tough woody ends before steaming, but keep the base of the sprout as intact as possible to help it stay together once smashed. Steam the sprouts for about 10 minutes, or until they’re soft enough to pierce through with a fork. 

Place the steamed sprouts on the sheet pan and toss with the rendered bacon fat. Then press down on each sprout with a spatula or the bottom of a heavy glass or pan to flatten them. Sprinkle generously with garlic powder and salt, then roast in the oven at 425°. 

The Brussels sprouts will begin to caramelize around the edges, and the leaves will get crispy, but the center will stay sweet and tender, without any of the cruciferous bite you’d expect from these little cabbages. Top with the bacon crumbles and pickled red onions. They’re ready for your weeknight dinner rotation and they’ll stand proudly on any holiday spread.

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Smashed Brussels Sprouts (AIP, Paleo, Whole30)

5 from 1 vote

Crispy smashed Brussels sprouts roasted in bacon fat and topped with pickled red onions. For AIP, Paleo and Whole30.

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Total Time:1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Author: Christina Marche

Ingredients

• ¾ cup water
• ¾ cup white wine vinegar
• 2 tsp coconut sugar
• 1½ cups thinly sliced red onion
• ½ lb thick-cut bacon
• 2 lb Brussels sprouts
• ½ tsp garlic powder

Instructions

• Bring the water and vinegar to a simmer in a small saucepan on the stovetop, then stir in the coconut sugar until dissolved.
• Add the sliced red onions to a heat-safe jar or small bowl, then pour the brine over. Allow to cool to room temperature, then chill for at least an hour.
• Roast the bacon on a parchment-lined sheet pan at 425° until crisp, about 7 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the bacon.
• Remove the bacon, then crumble, leaving the rendered bacon fat on the sheet pan.
• Trim and steam the Brussels sprouts until tender and easily pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes.
• Add the sprouts to the sheet pan and toss to coat in the bacon fat. Smash flat with a spatula or the bottom of a heavy glass.
• Season generously with salt and garlic powder, then roast at 425° until the edges are deeply browned and crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes.
• Finish by topping with the bacon crumbles and pickled onions.

Notes

This recipe includes quick-pickled or refrigerator pickled onions. They are not safe for for shelf-stable canning. Refrigerate leftovers and use within two weeks. Keep an eye on them and discard if they begin to show signs of fermentation, like bubbling, or develop off-colors or off-smells.

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: AIP, AIP Modified, Paleo, Whole30